Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 - an essential vitamin that has been the subject of much clinical scrutiny in relation to it's effect on testosterone and estrogen.

tl; dr ... Short and to the Point

Who is this article aimed at?

Anybody evaluating whether Vitamin B6 is a useful constituent part of a testosterone supplement. Anybody considering using or supplementing with B6 to increase their test levels.

I am busy - summarize it for me

Vitamin B6 is an important vitamin for general health. Found in foods you'd normally associate with protein - fish, poultry, and liver - it prevents anaemia, skin conditions and mental health issues like depression.

There have been numerous clinical studies done on it's relationship with testosterone, estrogen and prolactin. The results indicate it plays an important role in ensuring healthy testosterone levels, and it is worth taking as a supplement or as part of a combined test booster.

Vitamin B6 and Testosterone

We all know how important a healthy intake of daily vitamins is, but one of the reason testosterone boosting supplements and multivitamin tablets aren’t one and the same thing is because in reality there is very little crossover between the two.

Each vitamin has a vital function, yes, but very few of them ultimately have any impact on our testosterone levels.

That said, there are a few honorary exceptions; namely vitamin D, vitamin B6 and to a lesser extent vitamin B12.

Here we’re going to be focusing on vitamin B6, because we’ve already covered vitamin D elsewhere and although B12 is helpful … it’s very much the Garfunkel to B6’s Simon. No disrespect to either water soluble vitamin or man it’s simply that, in terms of helping our testosterone, B6’s solo work is a little stronger.

Vitamin B6 – why is it important for Test?

In common with other B vitamins, B6 – known technically as Pyridoxine – is a nutrient which the body cannot store for any length of time. It is ingested, utilised and then needs constantly replenished if we are to continue to see the benefits of it.

Does it Boost Testosterone?

Vitamin B6 works both directly and indirectly to boost testosterone. It promotes the production of androgens, which causes testosterone levels to rise, but in sufficient quantities it also works on the C2 pathway in the brain to regulate the creation of hormones which are detrimental to testosterone levels, such as estrogen.

Testosterone and estrogen’s statuses as the male and female hormone respectively can be a little misleading; in fact, we have levels of both present in our system at all times, regardless of gender.

It’s merely the balance that varies in men and women. These proportions can easily get out of kilter however. In males, When estrogen levels are too high it can mean struggling testosterone levels. This is where B6 is crucial.

Research has shown B6 also helps to keep levels of prolactin low, another hormone sometimes implicated in unimpressive testosterone levels, and the number one culprit responsible for the dreaded ‘man boobs’.

A study conducted by Symes, Bender, et al. to determine whether vitamin B6 specifically would help boost testosterone found that rats who were given a B6 free diet for a month ended up with significantly lower levels of testosterone in their blood plasma, concluding that reduced vitamin B6 either leads to reduced synthesis of testosterone or quicker a rate of metabolic clearance, than when B6 is in healthy supply.

Likewise Biskind & Biskind’s early research into the effects of B vitamins on the deactivation of estrogen in liver found that;

“The flow of oestrogen through this organ can thus be controlled at will, by withholding the vitamin B complex or by restoring it to the diet.”

A follow up trial into the influence of B vitamins on the balance between testosterone and estrogen ultimately reported;

“Unlike the oestrogens, inactivation of this androgen (testosterone) in the liver is not significantly diminished in vitamin B complex deficiency.”

Work conducted into vitamin B6’s impact on levels of prolactin and thyrotropin in patients with hyperthyroidism (a condition which can lead to low testosterone) found that the output of both were noticeably suppressed by the addition of B6.

Conclusion

There aren’t many ways you can misinterpret the words ‘testosterone boosting supplement’ so when you pick one up it’s fair to assume that’s your main focus. You expect ingredients which share that focus. For all their importance in other areas, a direct effect on hormone levels is not something most vitamins can offer, but vitamin B6 is definitely among the few with genuine crossover credentials.

Its influence on the effective turnover of red blood cells, the stimulation of androgens and marshalling of more unhelpful aspects like estrogen and prolactin, make it well worth looking for in the components list of any booster.

B6 is still a vitamin however, meaning it’s got plenty of jobs to do in the body besides worry about testosterone levels. For this reason we consider it we worth taking as either a standalone supplement, or as part of a combined ‘test boosting’ supplement.

Anybody evaluating whether Vitamin B6 is a useful constituent part of a testosterone supplement. Anybody considering using or supplementing with B6 to increase their test levels.

I am busy - summarize it for me

Vitamin B6 is an important vitamin for general health. Found in foods you'd normally associate with protein - fish, poultry, and liver - it prevents anaemia, skin conditions and mental health issues like depression.

There have been numerous clinical studies done on it's relationship with testosterone, estrogen and prolactin. The results indicate it plays an important role in ensuring healthy testosterone levels, and it is worth taking as a supplement or as part of a combined test booster.

All content on this website is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice, it is based upon research and the personal and professional experiences of the authors.